Common Acronyms
There are many acronyms you may hear bounced around at PS10. Here are some of the more common ones and what they mean. If you hear any you think should be on this list, let us know!
12:1 Classroom
A self-contained special education classroom with a maximum of 12 students. PS10 has two or three 12:1 classrooms each year, depending on need.
AIS - Academic Intervention Services
Supplemental, pull-out targeted tutoring instruction in English Language Arts and/or Math, provided by certified educators, usually before or after school hours. Teachers reach out directly to families of students they feel would benefit from AIS.
AP - Assistant Principal(s)
Mr. Nusser and Mr. Grant 🙂
CEC - Community Education Council
CECs are district-level elected groups of volunteer parents and community leaders who support local schools. CECs are New York’s version of a school board.
CUNY Reading
A tutorial program in which college students from the City University of New York tutor ENL students and students in need four times a week for 45 minutes.
DOE - NYC Department of Education
The department of the government that manages the public school system in NYC.
ELA - English Language Arts
Academic subject area that encompasses reading and writing. Students learn to become effective readers and writers as teachers use balanced literacy (fiction and non-fiction) texts in the classroom for reading, writing, vocabulary and discussions by using details and evidence from the text.
ENL - English as a New Language
A program to help children who are learning English as their second language to read, write and speak in English, while receiving support in their home language.
ICT - Integrated Co-Teaching
ICT classrooms combine general education students with students who receive special education services. Each ICT classroom is led by two teachers - one general education teacher and one special education teacher. Up to 40% of each ICT class may be special education students, with the remaining balance being general education students. Both teachers work together to support all children in the class.
IEP - Individualized Education Program
A plan to ensure that children with special education needs receive free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). An IEP outlines and defines what accommodations and specialized services the student requires to succeed in school. Among other things, a student’s IEP may mandate that they be placed in an ICT classroom.
PALP - Parents as Learning Partners
PALP is an opportunity for parents to visit their child’s classroom for a planned activity. The school schedules several PALP sessions per year, generally on Fridays, during first period. Note that some teachers do not participate in PALP on scheduled school-wide PALP days, and have parents come in at alternative times, sometimes in smaller groups. Look to your classroom teacher for guidance on visits to your child’s classroom.
Para - Paraprofessional
Paraprofessionals are teaching assistants who work in classrooms, under the supervision of a certified teacher, with students who have specific academic and health needs. Paraprofessionals work in both special and general education classrooms. They can also be assigned to support an entire class (as in Prek) or a specific program (such as our Robin Hood Foundation Library).
PD - Professional Development
All teachers take ongoing professional development, often in the form of workshops, seminars, and classroom observation throughout the year.
PTA - Parent Teacher Association
All parents at PS10 are part of the PTA, which raises money to provide enrichments that supplement what the DOE provides, and also helps run fun events that build community engagement. The PTA Executive Board handles the day to day operation and management of PTA activities, and also acts as a liaison between parents and school administration.
SBST - School Based Support Team
A team of professionals, including a family worker, psychologist, and social worker, who schedule and complete IEPs (and provide ongoing support when required by the IEP).
SETSS - Special Education Teacher Support Services
Pull-out or push-in support by a special education teacher. Pull-out support is provided outside of the classroom and separate from the rest of the class, while push-in support is provided within the classroom.
SLT - School Leadership Team
A group of parents and teachers who work to ensure the needs and concerns of the school are reflected in the school’s Comprehensive Education Plan. The SLT addresses a variety of school matters, such as class size, curriculums, and budget.
UFT - United Federation of Teachers
The labor union that represents public school teachers and paraprofessionals in NYC.
